


Magnets

by starlightened



Series: My Darling Raincloud [10]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Love Confessions, Making Love, Older Man/Younger Woman, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-10-31 22:41:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10908945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightened/pseuds/starlightened
Summary: Prompto believes he's unworthy of love, that he's never meant to find his soulmate.Aurora is just looking to have a little bit of fun.__________A Prompto Argentum soulmate AU. Sequel toWe Intertwined.





	1. Prologue

Ignis was back at Hunter HQ for the first time in a month. It felt almost strange, returning to work with his wife and newborn daughter at home, but he knew that he had no other choice. Bounties brought in gil, and Raine, though tenacious and itching to get back into the fray, knew that she had to stay back in Lestallum with the children where it was safe. Ignis was more than capable of bringing in enough to support the four of them, and she trusted that he would be safe with his friends at his side.

The air outside of Lestallum was different. Crisper, less muddied with the aromas of different perfumes and bodies like in the marketplace by the Leville. The breeze blew through his hair, unobstructed by tall buildings, and it felt somewhat good to feel the grass and dirt underneath his boots.

He wandered about the grounds for a while in search of his brothers in arms. Gladio had just returned as well, a month or so prior to Ignis, having also had to tear himself away from his new family. His wife, Cam, had just given birth to twin girls—Violet and Daisy—and they had become his entire world. It brought a smile to his face, the thought of Gladio, this giant tank of a man with two tiny baby girls cradled in his arms. Ignis always knew he would be a good father, and seeing that aspect of his destiny being fulfilled warmed his heart.

Gladio greeted Ignis with a pat on the shoulder. “Good to have you back, Iggy.”

Ignis gave a small nod. “Glad to be back. Although it was difficult saying goodbye to Raine and the children. Hopefully we’ll be able to return to our families sooner rather than later.”

“Yeah,” Gladio agreed. “I try to video call Cam and the girls as much as I can now that I’m away. It sucks, because I just don’t want to miss any of their firsts, you know? And I won’t lie, I feel kinda bad leaving Cam alone with both of them when they’re only a few months old.”

“Cam is a resourceful woman, I’m sure she will manage,” Ignis responded, his tone honest. He admired Cam’s spirit, how hard she had to fight to rebuild her life from all the destruction. Ignis couldn’t help but notice though that there was someone missing. “Where is Prompto?”

“Oh,” Gladio jerked his thumb to the lookout post, illuminated by a single overhead light. “Sulking by the surveillance point. He won’t talk to me. Maybe you can see what’s eating him.”

Ignis hummed curiously and made his way over. He could navigate Hunter HQ easily, having memorized the layout of the area long ago. He counted off the twenty steps from the ground to the platform, his hand sliding along the railing in case he lost his balance.

He could sense his friend’s presence, and called out his name. “Prompto?”

Prompto turned his head at the sound of Ignis’ voice. “Oh, hey,” he greeted with much less enthusiasm than Ignis was used to hearing. Ignis made his way over, leaning his forearms against the railing, unknowingly copying Prompto’s posture.

“What are you doing up here alone?” Ignis inquired. “It’s not like you to want to isolate yourself from everyone. Especially when there’s about to be a hunt that takes place.”

He could sense Prompto’s hesitation as he shifted uncomfortably, the wooden boards creaking as he adjusted his weight from one foot to another.

“Just thinking.”

Ignis raised an eyebrow over the rim of his tinted shades. “About what?”

Prompto sighed, hanging his head low. “I don’t know. I guess…it’s just hard sometimes, you know? It’s hard to always be here, because I’m not needed anywhere else. Does that make sense?”

Ignis was quiet for a moment. “I’m not sure I follow.”

Another shaky exhale, and the wringing of wrists. “Gladio and Cam finally found each other after all this time and just started a family. You and Raine had Lucas, and now you have Aurora. It’s just…the two of you left to go be dads, and now that you're here, you both have someone back home waiting for you.” Prompto swallowed, his throat suddenly bone dry. “I don’t have anyone.”

“Prompto…”

“I don’t even have a soulmate marking, Ignis,” Prompto said, almost helplessly, his emotions starting to bubble to the surface. “I’ve tried connecting with people, and it never works. Every single time, there’s someone else, another person they’re tied to, another reason that I’m meant to be alone. I was born to be an experiment, not someone to be loved.”

“My friend,” Ignis placed a hand on his shoulder. “You know that’s not true.”

“But it is,” Prompto insisted, bitterness lacing his tone, his fingers gripping the edge of the railing so hard that it started to hurt. “I wasn’t deemed worthy enough by the Six, so I’m just going to have to live the rest of my life, watching as your kids grow up, watch Cam and Gladio have another anniversary, just sitting on the sidelines as everyone around me moves on and I’m just stuck in limbo.”

Ignis’ lips pressed together in a thin line as he heard Prompto’s breath hitch. “Prompto,” he said gently, his voice soothing as he helped ease Prompto’s hands off the railing to face him. “Your time will come. No one knows what the future holds. I know that you’re in pain, and I will not tell you to deny it, because denying it would be a disservice to your heart. But know that you are, and have always been, worthy of love. It may take time to find you, but it will find you. And once it does, you will know.”

Prompto hastily wiped his eye. “Yeah. I guess.”

“Come, my friend,” Ignis patted Prompto on the back. “Dave has called us for a meeting, and Gladio’s been wanting to speak with you. Let us join the others.”

He knew that his words may have helped slightly, but there was such a dense weight on Prompto’s shoulders that Ignis wasn’t sure if it would ever be lifted. He’d always battled with the idea that he wasn’t good enough, and seeing his other friends move on and evolve without him was a sort of heartache he didn’t know how to soothe. 

“Okay,” Prompto agreed. “I just hope the hunt isn’t going to be for a bunch of Red Giants like last time. I think one of them singed me pretty good, I got this weird burn on my thigh. Looks kind of like a crow’s foot, and I haven't had a chance to have a medic look at it yet.”

Ignis paused for a moment before giving his head a slight shake. “In any case, the others are waiting for us. Civilization may have crumbled, but we must still mind our manners when it comes to duty and protocol.”

“Yes sir,” Prompto saluted in jest, following his friend down the steps, trying his best to ignore the pain that still weighed heavily on his heart.


	2. Chapter 1

_Twenty-one years later…_

Aurora sighed, unlocking the door to her new apartment. She’d finally graduated from university in Accordo, and decided to move back to Insomnia to be closer to her family. The four years since she’d been gone had moulded her into a stunning young woman with an acute intellect not unlike her father’s. Her hair was dark and hung past her shoulders in loose waves, her sea foam eyes sharp with a sense of mischief that had followed her throughout her entire life.

She’d always been petite, shorter than most other girls in her class, but what she lacked in height she made up for in attitude. Her mother, Raine, had instilled in her from a young age that she needed to be able to take care of herself, that her restless spirit and desire to question authority was something to be celebrated, not repressed.

Aurora’s things were still in boxes, and she didn’t have much desire to do a great deal of unpacking. Her apartment was on the opposite end of the city from the house her parents’ occupied close to the Citadel, and Lucas never liked to stray too far from the family. 

Not that Aurora didn’t miss her brother or her parents, but she liked her independence, and she liked breathing room. Although, amongst all the clutter and cardboard boxes, she couldn’t help but feel like she was suffocating. She gathered her purse, her keys and her phone, and left the apartment.

Insomnia at night was one of her favourite things. Her neighbourhood was still within the main city, just a little further north so there wasn’t as much traffic or noise. Greenery had always been something she appreciated, and wandering around the parks at sunset had always been one of her favourite pastimes.

As she strolled along the path that cut through the sod, she spied someone that she hadn’t seen in a long time. His hair still looked blond, though admittedly the strands of silver blended in quite well, his lean muscle still taut as ever as he took some shots of the city at sundown with that familiar camera. He hadn’t spotted her yet, so she took the opportunity to sneak up on him.

His back was turned to her, his eye peering through the viewfinder. Aurora tiptoed behind him, a coy smile on her lips, and got right up to his ear.

“Hi, Prompto.”

Prompto let out an undignified squeal, one that made Aurora laugh behind her hand as he leapt forward, clutching his camera in his hands. His eyes trailed over her body, lingering at her curves for a second longer than necessary before finally looking into her eyes. It took him a second to register who she was, but when he did, he did a double take.

“Aurora?”

Aurora leaned her weight onto one side, watching with a mischievous smirk as Prompto slowly gulped at the sight of her toned legs. She was wearing her favourite pair of black denim shorts, showing off the large tattoo of black and grey roses that adorned the curve of her right thigh and trailed up towards her hip. 

Prompto could see some of the petals and leaves towards the waist band of her shorts as her tank top hiked up ever so slightly. He ripped his gaze away and staring very deliberately at her face, mentally pleading with his eyes not to wander anywhere else.

He cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head. “What are you doing back in Insomnia? I thought you were away for school.”

Aurora shrugged, arms folded over her chest, inadvertently pushing up her breasts to give Prompto an ample view of her cleavage. Not that he was looking. He was desperately forcing himself not to look.

“Just graduated last week,” she stated. “I moved back a few days ago. My apartment is still a work in progress. It’s mostly just boxes and a mattress on the floor.”

Prompto let out a nervous chuckle. Aurora couldn’t keep the grin off her face at how jumpy she made him. She’d always thought that Prompto was cute, always easy to play around with, even when she was a kid. As she got older, she harboured the tiniest crush on her father’s long-time friend, but never dared to do anything about it.

Going away for school meant that Aurora was able to explore all different kinds of freedoms. She realized how easy it was to get men to fall into her lap, how she could use her wily charms to have them begging at her feet for sweet release. She’d always been someone who was able to get whatever she wanted, whoever she wanted.

And in that moment, as she noticed the light flush that dusted across Prompto’s freckled face, she knew that she wanted him.

“I live not too far from here either, actually,” he said, as if he remembered suddenly that a conversation had been taking place. 

“Oh?” Aurora smiled sweetly, tilting her head to the side, her hands going behind her back. “Can I see?”

Prompto started to stutter out an excuse when Aurora waved her hand in the air.

“Oh, come on, Prompto. I haven’t seen you in nearly four years, I want to catch up! I’d invite you over to my place, but I already told you that it’s a mess. Plus, it’s starting to get a little chilly out here.” She shivered for good measure, her hands rubbing along her arms to keep herself warm.

Prompto opened his mouth, expecting his brain to come up with some sort of protest, but it betrayed him and instead, he said, “Okay.”

As they made the short walk back to his house, Aurora asked him some questions so that he wouldn’t be as anxious. She could see, plain as day, that all sorts of thoughts were running through his mind. She could tell that he wasn’t sure if bringing his best friend’s daughter back to his house was a good idea, weighing his options for fight or flight. 

It didn’t take long for him to abandon those thoughts though, and Prompto realized how easy it was to talk to Aurora. He found himself blushing at the smile on her face as she laughed at his bad jokes, noting how she’d grown into her own person, that she wasn’t the little kid who’d tossed flour into his face so many years ago.

She really was beautiful. She carried herself with so much ease, a lightness to her step that Prompto couldn’t help but envy as she strolled alongside him. He caught himself staring more than once, but snapped out of it as soon as they reached his front door.

He unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Sorry if it’s a little messy,” he said, flipping on the lights. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

Aurora walked into the small house, noting at how it really felt like home. It was cozy, framed photos of Prompto with his friends at varying ages lining the walls. He really was a shutterbug. She examined each one, noting which ones were posed and which ones were candid. The candid ones were her favourite.

She stopped on one that caught her eye. It was of four young men posing with a sleek, black convertible. She recognized her father immediately, his much younger self before his blindness struck. Aurora couldn’t help but notice how much Lucas had grown to look like him, tall and lanky, just with different coloured irises. She also noted Prompto and Gladio as well, and she smiled at the goofy grin on the blond’s face.

Aurora paused over the raven haired boy crouched next to Prompto, reaching her hand up so that it hovered just above the glass.

“Noctis,” Prompto’s voice made her jump back, her heart thudding in her chest. “That was him before the whole ten years of darkness thing happened,” he elaborated. “That photo was taken just after we’d left the Crown City. Our car broke down and we needed to get it fixed, so we decided to commemorate the actual start of our road trip with that photo.”

Aurora gave a sad smile at the tone of Prompto’s voice. “He looks so young.”

“Younger in that photo than you are now,” Prompto admitted, scratching at the back of his head. “It was before the fall of Insomnia. Hard to believe that the city was able to be rebuilt so quickly. I guess people were just really eager to start over.”

Aurora’s eyes lingered on the photo of the four friends a moment longer before she asked, “Do you have anything to drink?”

“Uh,” Prompto seemed to be debating internally again, and Aurora raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah. Come on, follow me.”

She trailed after him as he led her to the kitchen and adjoining living room. Prompto fished two beers out of his fridge, cracking them open and handing her one. She looked him in the eye as her lips closed around the lip of the bottle and took a long swig. Aurora licked the excess beer from her lips as Prompto swallowed past the dryness in his throat.

They ended up on the couch, with Prompto keeping a respectable distance from Aurora as she tucked her feet underneath her rear, her body facing his. Prompto sat with his back against the couch, nursing his drink as if he was afraid to move.

They chatted for a while longer, and Prompto felt himself loosening up again. Aurora was a great conversationalist, something he suspected she learned from Ignis, but she had the flair and sharp tongue of her mother. He almost didn’t notice when Aurora shifted closer on the couch.

Aurora finished off her drink and left the empty bottle on the coffee table, where Prompto had abandoned his as well. The liquid courage was flowing through her system, not enough to control her decisions, but enough to make her brave.

In a flash, she swung her leg over Prompto’s lap, straddling him with her hands on his shoulders. His blue eyes grew to the size of saucers, his hands clenching the seat of the couch. From this close, she could see the strands of silver that wove through the blond of his hair, sprinkling the edges of his beard and stubble. Time had been good to Prompto, and Aurora wasn’t afraid to admit it.

“W-what are you doing?”

Aurora hiked herself further up his lap, leaning in to purr against his ear. “C’mon, Prompto. What does it look like I’m doing?”

She nipped at his earlobe as he gave a small yelp. She could feel him shrinking away from her, trying to melt himself into the couch.

“Aurora, I’m—” Prompto let out a groan as her tongue slid along the shell of his ear. “I’m old enough to be your dad! Not to mention the fact that your dad and I are actually best friends and—”

Aurora leaned back, her arms still on his shoulders. “Don’t tell me you’re actually scared of my father.”

Prompto hesitated. “To be honest, it’s more your mom that I’m worried about.”

“So,” Aurora said slowly, lifting one of Prompto’s hands and placing it on her waist, taking the other and allowing him to palm her breast. “Are you saying you don’t want to fuck me?” She punctuated her question with a roll of her hips, and Prompto let out a quiet moan. She could feel him getting hard, but she needed to know that he wanted her too.

“I—” he paused, searching her eyes. “Aren’t you worried about what people are going to think?”

Aurora’s hands dropped from his shoulders, and he knew he’d said the wrong thing. She swatted his hand from off her chest, but let his other hand remain at her side. “Are you serious, Prompto? Honestly?”

He was at a loss for words. His mouth opened and closed, not unlike a floundering guppy, and he saw the fire in Aurora’s eyes as she set her jaw.

“When have I ever cared about what people thought of me?” she asked, her voice clipped, her arms crossed over her chest. “Are you afraid of what people are going to say about you if they found out you hooked up with someone half your age? Because last I checked, that kind of behaviour in men was applauded. I’m not a child anymore. Do you know how much shit I used to get in university for being a woman who was openly sexually free, and not ashamed of it?”

Aurora scoffed, looking away from him and shaking her head. 

“Why is it that someone like Gladio, before he met Cam, could sleep with whoever he wanted without having to worry about the repercussions, meanwhile someone like me gets painted as a whore because I know what I want and I’m not afraid of being vocal about it?” She let out a shaky sigh. “Forget it. I’ll leave.”

Aurora went to get up, but Prompto’s hands kept her still. “Hey,” he said softly, his hand coming up to her cheek, guiding her to look at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just…I don’t know. You’re young. You’re beautiful. And I’m a mess of hangups. Just doesn’t seem like you’d want to waste your time on someone like me.”

Prompto’s hand was warm on Aurora’s cheek and leaned ever so slightly into his touch, her eyes still locked on his. “Prompto,” she whispered, her hands sliding back to his shoulders. “Are you going to kiss me or not?”

His lips twitched into the tiniest of smiles. “You really want me to?”

Aurora gave a small nod. “Yeah.”

The hand that had been resting against her jawline moved to the back of her neck, pulling her down until their lips finally met. Prompto felt the brush of her hair against his arms as it created a curtain around them both, her hands coming to cup his face as she sighed against his mouth. He felt her tongue running along his lower lip and he didn’t hesitate as he let her in, allowing himself to get lost in the softness of her kiss, the quiet desperation as she pressed herself against him.

As his tongue explored her mouth, heat pooled in the base of his groin as he realized that Aurora had a barbell that pierced through hers. There was so much to discover about her, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to unwrap her like a present and explore every inch.

Just as Prompto’s hands started to wander underneath her tank top, further up her back, her phone rang in her purse where she’d abandoned it on the couch. Aurora pulled away, her face flush to match his.

“Sorry,” she said breathlessly, not moving from his lap as she snatched up her phone. She read the name that came up on the caller ID. “Shit.” She cleared her throat, pressed a finger to Prompto’s lips, and swiped to answer it. “Hi, Daddy.”

Prompto’s eyes went wide. Aurora shot him a smirk.

_“Hello, darling. I trust the move went well?”_

“Yeah, still settling into the new place. Actually, I just went for a walk in the park and saw an old friend of yours.”

 _“Oh?”_ Came Ignis’ surprised tone. _“Who?”_

“Prompto,” she answered. Feeling devilish, Aurora ground her hips down against Prompto’s growing erection that was starting to tent his pants. He groaned, but Aurora clamped a hand over his mouth before it could be heard over the phone. “I just came by for a quick visit.”

 _“Oh, how splendid,”_ Ignis remarked. _“It’s better knowing that you have someone so close to the family living nearby. It’ll put your mother at ease.”_  
  
Aurora heard shuffling on the other end, and Raine’s voice came in through the speaker. _“Hey, hon.”_

“Hi, Mom,” Aurora grinned, still grinding down on Prompto’s lap as he whined helplessly into her hand. “I meant to call you earlier today. Sorry about that.”

_“That’s alright. Who lives nearby? I overheard you talking to your father about it just now.”_

“Prompto,” Aurora responded, unable to keep the smile off her face as he glared at her with narrowed eyes. “Don’t worry, Mom. He’s taking good care of me.” She shot him a wink for good measure.

_“Alright. Well, tell him we said hi. And you should come by and visit. Lucas is coming over later on this week for lunch. You should coordinate with him so that we can all be together.”_

“Will do. Love you. Bye.”

Aurora tossed her phone away, moving her hand from Prompto’s mouth. She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his pouting lips. “My parents said hi.”

Prompto laughed shakily, his hands tightening on her waist. “You are unbelievable.”

She looped her arms around his shoulders and kissed the corner of his mouth. “In a good way though, right?”

Prompto turned his head to capture her lips once again. “Trust me,” he breathed. “I’ve only ever thought good things about you.”

Aurora was about to speak when suddenly Prompto gripped the undersides of her thighs and stood up. She let out a tiny shriek and clung to him as he carried her upstairs. She giggled into the crook of his neck, kissing the sensitive skin and relishing the way his ears went red at the contact.

She felt her back hit something soft, realizing that Prompto had laid her down on his bed. He nestled himself between her legs and she pulled him in for another kiss, loving the feeling of his lips on hers. The faint stubble tickled as his mouth moved against hers, and then down to her neck, a quiet moan escaping as he nipped and laved at the the spot just below her ear.

“This needs to come off,” she panted desperately, tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Now, please.”

Prompto smirked, sitting back on his haunches to remove his clothing. “At least you have manners.” Aurora propped herself up on her elbows as he peeled the shirt off his body. Prompto had always been fit, filling out a little more as he aged. He wasn’t scrawny like he was when he was younger, but he was lean, all defined muscles and hard planes.

Aurora sat up as well, watching his reaction with sultry eyes as she slowly stripped off her tank top, her hands going behind her back to unlatch the clasp of her bra. Prompto let out a shaky breath at the sight of her exposed breasts, the tattoo at her side coming up to the dip in her waist over the band of her shorts.

Prompto stepped off the bed and undid his fly, letting his pants drop along with his boxers as Aurora did the same, shimmying out of her shorts until their clothes were in a pile on the floor. Aurora took a step towards Prompto and looped an arm around the back of his neck, and he met her in a kiss as her other hand wrapped around his cock and stroked him from base to tip.

He groaned against her mouth, his hands wandering all over her body. “Bed,” he murmured, and Aurora gladly situated herself against his plush sheets.

Prompto kissed her like he couldn’t get enough, his calloused hands coming to massage her breasts, tweaking her nipples and earning him a breathy moan. He kissed the base of her throat and made his way further south until he reached her dripping sex.

Aurora bit her lip and watched as he hiked her legs over his shoulders. He kept his eyes on hers as he lowered his mouth to her heat, running the flat of his tongue along her slit.

“Oh gods,” Aurora gasped as Prompto set to work with more enthusiasm than she had anticipated. “You’re really _—oh—_ you’re really a lot better at this than I was expecting.”

Prompto lifted his mouth and winked at her. “Years of experience, doll.”

Aurora went to laugh, but it came out instead as a moan as Prompto’s tongue swirled around her clit, his fingers dipping past her folds. He curled his fingers inside of her as he devoured her, and Aurora couldn’t keep her sweet sounds at bay. They urged him on, told him that she needed him as much as he needed her.

“Prom,” she gasped, her fingers twisting in his hair. “You’re too good, I’m gonna—”

Aurora’s words fell away as she keened, Prompto’s fingers finding the rough patch of skin against the frontal wall of her cunt, stroking it with increased vigour as his tongue lapped at her clit. She came, hard, her walls clenching down like a vice on his knuckles as he drank her up, continuing his ministrations to prolong her pleasure as long as possible, even as her orgasm started to ebb away.

Aurora tugged on his arm. “Prom, please,” she mumbled breathlessly. “Need you.”

Prompto crawled up to meet her, his tongue drawing a line between her breasts and up her neck before dipping into her mouth for a kiss. She arched into him, wanting to feel him against her, wanting to prove to him that she wanted this, that it wasn’t a mistake. She reached down to take his cock in her hand and lined him up with her entrance. He looked her in the eye and she nodded, and Prompto slowly pushed himself inside.

He never wanted to forget the look on Aurora’s face as he filled her. Her eyelids fluttered slightly but she kept her gaze fixed on his, her lips parting as he took her to the hilt. Her dark hair fanned all around her, and she looked almost otherworldly underneath him. She was so beautiful, and she chose _him._

Prompto took her hands in his and intertwined their fingers before he slowly rolled his hips against hers. She couldn’t look away from him as he thrust into her, her legs coming to wrap around his lithe waist. Aurora admired his face, noting the flush in his freckled cheeks as he ground into her, the quiet sounds of pleasure that escaped his parted lips as he made love to her.

The realization dawned on her the moment the thought entered her mind. This wasn’t just sex—it was something more. Something amazing and tender, how he kissed her like she was his only source of oxygen, how he looked at her as if she was the only person in all of Eos that ever mattered in his entire life.

Her hips undulated with his, a synchronized rhythm that she’d never achieved with anyone else before. The men she’d bedded in the past were just reasons to scratch an itch, most of them not even able to bring her to climax. But this was different. Prompto was someone she’d known her whole life, someone she’d trusted since she was a child. Her brain should have been screaming that this was strange, or wrong, but her heart didn't feel that way.

Aurora felt the tide cresting and pooling, the flaring heat of the sun, the stars as they aligned in perfect harmony. She felt complete for the first time in her life, lost in the blue of his eyes, pulling him in deeper and closer until their hearts raced as one.

When Aurora came it wasn’t sudden, more like a slow build that set every nerve on fire until it threatened to consume her entire being. Her back arched off the bed and she cried out his name, her fingers locked with his as he shifted to kiss the base of her throat. Her walls clamped down on him, pulsating and vibrating until he reached completion right after.

Prompto had the sense to pull out just in time, gasping out her name as he came against her stomach. He dropped down onto the bed beside her, his breath coming in steady pants as he tried to remember how to speak.

The best he could come up with was, “Wow.”

Aurora laughed, reaching over to trace her fingers along his jawline. “Yeah.”

Prompto rose and disappeared into the bathroom. He came back a second later with a damp washcloth, cleaning her skin of the remnants of his orgasm. As he went to toss the towel into the hamper, Aurora sat up and pulled him in for a kiss, and he melted into her. Her lips still felt electric, her body desperate to be close to his again.

Prompto came back over to the bed and lifted the sheets, allowing Aurora to scoot into the circle of his arms. She traced patterns along the freckles of his chest, and he breathed in her scent, the floral undertones making his heart flutter.

After a moment of silence, Aurora spoke up.

“You don’t regret it, do you?”

Prompto was taken aback, gaping at the woman in his arms. She suddenly looked so shy, her large, green eyes peering up at him, looking more vulnerable than he’d ever seen.

“Of course not,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “How could I ever regret being with you?”

Aurora smiled, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. “Sorry. I just…I don’t know. I don’t think I want this to be over yet.”

Prompto paused, his hand tightening ever so slightly on her shoulder. “It doesn’t have to be.”

Aurora tilted her face up to his, and he met her in a kiss. Her hand came to cup his jaw, seeking his warmth, chasing the butterflies that had taken hold of her stomach, and she smiled against his lips.

“Good,” she murmured, her eyes drifting shut. “Because there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, right now, with you.”


	3. Chapter 2

The next morning, Prompto awoke to the sensation of cold sheets beneath his palm. He lifted his bleary eyes from his pillow with a frown, blinking twice before it registered in his brain that his bed was empty.

Prompto sighed, sitting up with his hands in his lap. He closed his eyes momentarily, swaying slightly as the events from the night before came rushing back to him: Aurora pinned underneath his sweat-slicked body, her dilated pupils as he pushed into her, the sound of their coupling still fresh in his ears.

He should have known that she wouldn’t want to stay. He was nearly twice her age, and didn’t have much else to offer her. Aurora probably realized her future made sense elsewhere, not in his bed, not in his life as anything other than just a friend.

Prompto opened his eyes, still adjusting to the sunlight as it poured into the room. He rose from the bed, scratching at the marking that had appeared on his leg sometime during the Starscourge. It was in the shape of a crow’s foot and had just emerged on his left thigh one day, and he’d been too preoccupied with daemon hunting and assisting the people of Lestallum to go to a medic to check it out. He figured it was some sort of oddly shaped burn from a Red Giant, not thinking much else of it.

He dragged on some clothes, a tank top and a pair of loose pyjama pants before wandering into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Prompto slapped water on his face, willing himself to not take Aurora’s rejection too personally.

As Prompto headed downstairs, the smell of sizzling meat wafted from his kitchen. Perturbed and curious, he tiptoed until he stood at the entryway. And there she was, hair tousled, dressed in her underwear and one of his shirts that was just slightly too big for her, making breakfast while sipping a cup of Ebony.

He couldn’t help but let out the tiniest breath, his heart hammering against his ribcage as the smile spread across his face.

_She stayed._

Aurora must have sensed his presence, because she turned to him, spatula in hand. “Morning,” she smiled as he wandered over to her. “I made enough Ebony for you too, though I wasn’t sure if you actually drank it or only kept it here for whenever my dad comes to visit. But I made bacon, eggs, and pancakes, so you can take your pick.”

Prompto instead came toe to toe with her, cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. Aurora barely had a chance to respond before he pulled away, gazing down at her with those clear blue eyes that made her knees weak.

“I thought you left.”

Aurora couldn’t help but grin as her eyes darted to the food separated onto different plates. “I got hungry. Someone wore me out last night and I worked up quite the appetite.” She leaned into him, her breasts grazing against his chest, but keeping the tiniest bit of distance as she still held a cup of coffee in one hand and a spatula in the other. “Go on. Eat something before it gets cold.”

Prompto watched as Aurora plated the rest of the bacon and turned off the stove before he wrapped his arms around her from behind. She put down her Ebony and the spatula, her hands coming to rest over top of his.

Aurora felt his lips on her neck, his stubble scratching along her skin. She sighed and leaned against him, tilting her head to give him more access.

“Prompto,” she breathed as his tongue darted out of his mouth to run along the shell of her ear. “The food—”

“I’d rather have you instead,” he murmured, turning her in his arms so that he could claim her lips in another kiss. Aurora looped her arms around Prompto’s neck leaned into him as she felt him start to move with her in his embrace. She felt her back being met with the cool chill of the steel refrigerator door, and she hopped up into his grasp, her legs locking behind his spine.

Prompto was already hard—didn’t take much with her, if he was being honest—and groaned slightly as Aurora’s hand dove into his pants to free his solid erection. His hands were occupied with keeping her from falling, so Aurora slicked her panties to the side, winking at him as she licked her fingers to wet her entrance. Prompto visibly gulped as she lined him up against her folds, pressing his head inside, waiting for him to take the lead.

He didn’t need to be told twice and trust himself to the hilt, pinning Aurora against the fridge as she gazed at him lustfully, biting her lip as she gripped onto his shoulders.

No words were exchanged between them as he bucked into her. Aurora ran her fingers through Prompto’s hair, tugging him closer so that she could nibble on his lip, earning a light moan from his throat. She kept her lips on his as her fingers slid down between them, toying with her clit as he fucked her against the fridge.

“M’close,” Aurora panted, her breath hot against his cheek before she rolled her head back, exposing her neck to him as he rocked into her. Prompto took the opportunity to latch his mouth to her pale olive skin, his teeth sharp as he dragged small bruises along her collarbone and the curve of her shoulder.

Aurora was trembling in his arms as her fingers worked faster against her clit, desperately chasing that feeling that had overwhelmed her the night before. It was still there, still as present as ever as his cock slid in and out of her body, but it felt different—if last night was the pull of the ocean’s tides, this was exploding magma, a burning urgency that she felt as his hips snapped against hers.

Aurora felt herself falling apart, Prompto’s name leaving her lips in a loud keen as she clawed at his back, her walls clamping down on him like a vice. Before she had a chance to react, Prompto moved her from where he’d pinned her to the fridge and hiked her up onto the free space of the counter.

She was about to ask what Prompto was doing when he slid into her again, pushing past the tight clamp of her heat as her orgasm temporarily subsided. Aurora leaned her forehead against his and kept him close as he kept pounding into her, desperate to seek more, needing to be deeper as he bottomed out on every stroke.

“P-Prompto,” Aurora mewled, her orgasm rearing its head again. “I can’t, I’m gonna—”

“Good,” he panted, kissing the corner of her mouth. “Give me one more.”

Aurora let out moan as she felt herself coming again, words that she never expected to say threatening to burst forth from her tongue. She kept them at bay, these wild, impossible thoughts, and allowed herself to revel in the feeling of him, the way each touch felt like devotion, how he gripped her like he didn’t want to let go.

Prompto’s hips stuttered as he groaned out Aurora’s name, forgetting his common sense as he pumped his seed deep inside of her. He panted, his forehead resting against her shoulder, when suddenly his eyes went wide.

“Fuck. I did not just do that.”

Aurora picked up a piece of bacon and bit a off a small chunk. “Did what? Have sex against the fridge and then beside breakfast? Because yeah, you did.”

“No,” Prompto sounded panicked, pulling out and tucking himself back into his pyjama pants. “I just…inside…”

Aurora lifted Prompto’s chin and pecked him on his freckled nose, which seemed to somehow calm him down. “Don’t worry about it. I’m on the pill.”

Prompto allowed himself to sigh, his shoulders sagging in relief. Aurora kept Prompto in the space between her legs as she offered him the rest of her bacon. He ate it in two bites from her hand before assaulting her face in greasy kisses, her laughter piercing the air as his arms tightened around her so she couldn’t get away.

Prompto helped her off the counter and she shuffled off to the bathroom on the main floor to clean herself up. Prompto took the time to get the two plates of food ready, and when she came back, still slightly dishevelled and still a bit flushed, he stole another kiss before handing hers over.

They sat across the table from each other as they ate in a comfortable silence, exchanging fleeting glances and secret smiles in the warmth of the dining room. Aurora tapped the prongs of her fork to her lip, her tongue flicking out just slightly as Prompto caught the glint of the metal barbell in his periphery.

Aurora slid her bare foot against Prompto’s calf, sensually teasing the fork with her tongue. Prompto’s knee banged against the underside of the table as her foot traveled further north.

“Um, so,” his voice rising in pitch before he cleared his throat. “What’s your plan for the rest of the day?”

Aurora shrugged, biting the fork between her teeth as she flashed him a smile. “What do you want to do?”

You.

“I want to take you out on a real date,” Prompto said honestly, unable to hide his shyness as he started to blush. “I thought maybe we could go for ice cream or something. And then maybe just walk around, see where the day takes us.”

Aurora reached over and took hold of Prompto’s free hand. “Ice cream sounds perfect,” she beamed, giving his fingers a light squeeze as reassurance. 

They finished off their breakfasts and Aurora gathered the plates, heading back to the kitchen. Prompto trailed after her, protesting that it was his house and she shouldn’t be the one cleaning up. She tutted, sounding eerily similar to her father as she took care of the dishes, insisting that since she was the one who cooked, it was only right that she cleaned up her own mess. Aurora shot him a wink, telling him to make it up to her later.

Later ended up being as soon as she’d washed the last dish. Prompto scooped her up in his arms and tossed her onto the couch, spreading her legs wide and diving in for his second meal of the day.

—

Prompto was nervous. Perhaps nervous wasn’t the right word—he felt a little anxious as he walked down the sunny street with Aurora falling into step beside him, trying to decipher every look from other passersby as they observed the two of them together.

Aurora nudged him with her elbow before sliding her palm against his, lacing their fingers together. She paused in her steps, tugging him back towards her and planted a kiss on his cheek with a fond smile. 

“You’re thinking too hard.”

Prompto couldn’t help but sigh. In the privacy of his house, every touch, every fleeting glance, every laugh felt right. But out on the open, under the scrutiny of strangers on the street, he couldn’t help but feel self conscious.

“Sorry,” he apologized, trying to shake the thoughts from his head. “I just…I feel like maybe these people think I’m walking with my daughter or something.”

Aurora shot him a small glare. “First off, you don’t look a day over thirty,” she stated, resuming her casual pace as she tightened her grip on his hand. “Second, fuck what they think. I like you, and how I feel is no one else’s business.”

Prompto couldn’t help but smile at that. “I like you, too.”

Aurora leaned her head against his arm as they walked, just enjoying being in his presence. She didn’t want to put a name on whatever it was that they had—didn’t want to ruin it or scare him off with labels. But she felt drawn to him in a way that she’d never imagined before. 

The ice cream shop came into view and they stepped inside, out of the summer heat. Aurora ordered a scoop of green tea flavoured ice cream on a cone and Prompto got strawberry.

By the time they exited the small store, Prompto’s ice cream was already half gone. Aurora was trying to preserve hers, licking it carefully—and intentionally slow, that devious glint in her eyes—so it wouldn’t drip past the cone and onto her hand.

“I can’t believe you bite your ice cream,” she chided as Prompto popped the last bit of his cone into his mouth, moving to the shade of some nearby trees. “You’re a barbarian.”

“You gotta eat the whole thing fast or it’s gonna melt,” he protested. “Look, it’s happening to yours right now.”

Aurora yelped as the ice cream started to dissolve under the blasting heat of the sun, and she did her best to lick up the remains. Prompto grinned, pulling out his camera as the ice cream dribbled off her chin.

“No!” she protested with a laugh as Prompto held the viewfinder up to his eye and snapped some quick candids of Aurora’s smiling face, trying to wipe off her face.

After Prompto had taken an adequate amount of photos, he came over to Aurora. “Can I have a taste?” he asked, and she nodded absentmindedly as she tried to clean herself off. He leaned in and bit a chunk of ice cream off her cone.

“Hey!” she pouted as Prompto couldn’t hold back his chortles. Her ice cream was mostly gone, now resting in the silver fox’s belly, leaving mostly her cone behind. She huffed as Prompto’s giggles subsided.

“Aw, c’mon,” he chuckled, coming to slide his arms around her waist. Aurora determinedly kept her frown on her face, turning her cheek to him as he tried to get closer to her. “Rory, c’mon, please don’t be mad,” he started to plead as she didn’t give in. He leaned his forehead against the side of her head, pressing small, fleeting kisses to her temple. 

“Only barbarians bite ice cream,” Aurora stated simply, nibbling on the edge of her cone. “And barbarians do not deserve kisses.”

Prompto let out a whine, and Aurora couldn’t keep the smile off her face, no matter how hard she tried. Prompto always did have a young spirit, and it was fun to see him comfortable enough with her to let it out.

Aurora wiggled out of his grip and leaned against the wide trunk of the tree, finishing off her cone as Prompto stood in front of her, his thumbs hooked on the loops of his jeans, trying his hardest to give her his best puppy dog eyes.

“Don’t give me that look,” Aurora fake-glared. “I invented that look.”

Prompto stepped forward and leaned his hands against the tree, effectively trapping her in between his arms. “I’m sorry I was a barbarian and bit your ice cream,” Prompto conceded, rolling his eyes with a smile at the triumphant grin on Aurora’s face. “Any way I can make it up to you?”

Aurora slid her hands up his chest and pulled him close, arching her back off the tree trunk to press her core against his. “I can think of a few ways, yeah.”

Prompto smirked and dove in for a kiss, and Aurora couldn’t help but cling to him as she tasted the combination of strawberry and green tea ice cream on his tongue. She carded her fingers through his hair as his moved to squeeze her ass, pinning her against the tree by her shoulders.

The kiss was starting to get heated, and it crossed Aurora’s mind that they were in public, and that maybe they should have stayed back at the house, but she was too far gone to care. Prompto’s hand slid along her thigh, moving to hike it up against his hip, when suddenly a familiar surprised voice came from behind him.

“Aurora?”

Aurora immediately gasped and shoved Prompto back, her face flushed and her heart dropping down to her stomach. Her throat went dry.

“Lucas?”


	4. Chapter 3

Lucas never really wandered uptown very often. There was no particular reason for it other than the fact that he lived closer to the Citadel, located further south in the Crown City, and his work kept him close to that area. 

So when he found himself in Aurora’s neighbourhood on an errand, he figured he’d take the time to catch up with his sister. Lucas’ phone was pressed against his ear as he spoke to his fiancée, Violet, about wedding preparations.

 _“Did you get a chance to check out that florist?”_ she asked through the speaker, sounding slightly anxious. _“I just wanted to get an idea of pricing before we commit to anything.”  
_  
“Vi, don’t worry,” Lucas chuckled. “I spoke to the florist and wrote down some quotes that I’ll show you later. Don’t forget that we also have a cake tasting in two weeks.”

Lucas could have sworn he heard Violet smacking her hand to her forehead. _“Oh yeah,”_ she groaned. _“Almost forgot.”_

He shook his head with a smile. “Hey, by the way, my parents want to get together for a lunch thing in a few days, I think at the end of the week. Want to join? Aurora is coming, according to my mom.”

 _“Ah, shit. I can’t this weekend, Daisy and I planned to do a thing since I haven’t seen her in a little while.”_ Violet sighed into the phone, and he could tell she was frowning. But ever since their engagement and the wedding planning process had begun, Violet hadn’t seen her twin in some time and Lucas knew that she missed her. _“I’m sorry, babe.”_

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Lucas replied honestly. “You should spend time with your sister.” 

Violet let out a breath, and he could hear his fiancée’s relief over the phone. _“Thanks, Luke. You’re the best.”_

The couple chatted idly for a while as Lucas strolled along the calm streets. Uptown was really a lot quieter than it was closer to the citadel, with more greenery and breathing room instead of rows and rows of tall concrete buildings that felt more suffocating than anything else. But he was thankful for the house that his father had helped him buy—Ignis’ political standing tended to sway a lot of real estate agents—that was tucked away in a quieter neighbourhood, still close to the Citadel, but not in the middle of the brash downtown core.

Lucas was still speaking to Violet about flower arrangements when he found himself strolling by a park with large trees, the branches extending out to the street and shielding pedestrians from the sun’s searing blaze. He was in the middle of a sentence when something caught his eye.

Or rather, someone.

With his tongue down his sister’s throat.

 _“Lucas?”_ Violet’s voice rang out through the speaker when he didn’t respond to one of her questions. _“Hon? You there?”_

Lucas almost dropped his phone, scrambling to hold it steady in his hand, unable to tear his eyes away. “I have to call you back.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket and approached his father’s friend and his sister cautiously. They hadn’t noticed him, too wrapped up in their own affairs to realize he was only a few feet away.

“Aurora?”

His sister shoved Prompto’s shoulders, hard, sending him staggering back a few steps as her face dropped at the sight of her brother. “Lucas?”

Aurora’s face looked like how it did whenever she got caught as a child doing something she wasn’t meant to do—like stealing some of Great-Grandma’s special cookies from the cookie jar, eating ice cream out of the tub, sneaking out of bed to watch cartoons in the living room. The face was identical, a mild panic followed by a steeled expression, as if she’d done nothing wrong.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying her best to sound casual while also tugging the hem of her shirt down from where Prompto’s questing fingers had hiked it up her midriff. “Kind of far from your neck of the woods, isn’t it?”

Lucas’s eyes darted between Prompto and Aurora, his face pale as his brain refused to put two and two together. He knew what he’d just seen. He could also tell that what he'd witnessed hadn’t been their first kiss—and if he was guessing correctly, judging by the helpless look on Prompto’s face and the almost confrontational look on Aurora’s, his sister was the one who had initiated the entire thing.

“I, uh,” he finally said, clearing his throat. “I was up here looking at a florist for the wedding. And I figured maybe I would help you with your move-in. Unless…” He petered off, casting a wayward glance at Prompto.

“I’d better go,” Prompto said hurriedly, unable to look Lucas in the eye. “Uh, bye, guys. See you later.”

He turned to leave, but Aurora grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks. She made a big show of wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him firmly on the mouth as Lucas sent his gaze skyward, muttering under his breath, _“Gross.”_

“I’ll text you,” she murmured against Prompto’s lips before pecking him again. Prompto gave the tiniest nod and then he was gone.

Lucas and Aurora walked silently the rest of the way to her apartment. She unlocked the door and shoved her way inside, met with the unsightly mess that was her barely unpacked place. She scratched at the back of her head, gesturing to all the boxes.

“Welcome to my humble abode.”

Lucas took a second to walk around the apartment, taking all of it in. It was definitely a nice amount of space—it had one bedroom and a living room with bay windows, a walled off kitchen and a newly renovated bathroom. The skeleton of a home was there, Aurora just needed to fill in the rest.

“So,” he began awkwardly, tapping his fingers against the cardboard of a stack of boxes. “Want me to help?”

Aurora ran her fingers through her hair, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily. “Might as well,” she finally conceded, her hand flopping down back at her side. “If you’re gonna grill me, might as well do it while also being productive.”

She wandered into the kitchen and Lucas followed. They opened a box and started to unwrap dishes and glasses, tossing the bubble wrap into a garbage bag. They worked quietly for a few minutes before Aurora spoke up.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Lucas glanced over at her before putting a pile of dishes into an overhead cabinet. “What am I thinking, then?”

“You’re thinking that I’m an idiot and that I’m making a mistake. And that Prompto is too old for me, and that what I’m doing is weird.” She looked over at her brother, his lips pressed in a thin line. “How far off am I?”

Lucas shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses. “Rory, it’s not just some guy you found on a dating app or that you met in a lecture hall,” he stated. “This Uncle Prompto we’re talking about.”

“He’s not related to us, stop calling him that,” Aurora huffed, setting a drinking glass down a little harder than necessary. “And I’m also aware of that. I thought that the fact that I actually know him would have been a bonus for you.”

Lucas frowned, moving to unpack another box with utensils. “Would have been better if he was your age, too.”

Aurora gripped the edge of the counter, trying her hardest not to snap at her older brother. Lucas had always been a lot more logical than her, always processing the pros and cons of a situation. Definitely more similar to their father, a tactician who always gave sound advice after weighing every possible outcome in his head.

But Aurora on the other hand was temperamental, emotional, and spontaneous. She was her mother through and through, a fact that had caused quite a few rifts throughout her adolescence. She had a knack for confrontation, or rather she didn’t shy away from it like her brother. But when provoked, Lucas could hold his ground with the best of them. And the way they’d both set their shoulders, it appeared as if they were geared up for a fight.

“Is it a fling, or is it serious?” 

Aurora didn’t look at him. “I don’t know.”

“Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are you in love with him?”

Aurora slammed her fist against the granite counter. “Dammit, Lucas, I don’t fucking know, okay? This _just_ happened yesterday, how the fuck am I supposed to know if I’m in love with him? I just like him, why can’t it be that simple?”

“Rory,” Lucas sighed, turning to lean against the counter, facing his sister. “You know about Prompto’s past, yeah? You know he’s had a hard go of everything in his life. Things haven’t always exactly gone his way, especially in the love department.”

Aurora played with her tongue piercing in her mouth, pressing the barbell between her teeth to keep her mouth shut.

Lucas folded his arms over his chest. “Have you ever thought about how it would break him if you just decided one day that you were bored of him?”

Aurora snapped her head in Lucas’ direction, her eyes glossy and red. “Fuck you, Lucas.”

“I’m just saying it like it is,” he defended. “You used to tell me all the time about guys that you dumped after a night because they weren’t a challenge, or because you just didn’t feel like being around them anymore. What am I supposed to think of this? We’ve known Prompto our whole lives, and suddenly you’re interested in him? The guy is more than twice your age!”

Aurora let out a sardonic laugh. “Why is it so hard to believe that maybe I just like him? I’ve been gone for four fucking years, and I did a lot of growing up while I was in Accordo. Did it ever occur to you that maybe being with nothing but idiots since then has made me realize that maybe instead I should be with someone who’s nice and actually likes me?”

Lucas stared at his sister, unwavering. When he spoke, his voice was flat. “So you decided to go after Prompto.”

“I…I can't explain it,” she struggled. “I’m just drawn to him. I can’t explain why. I just…I am.” Aurora shook her head, tapping her finger against the surface of the counter. “Why can’t it just be simple, huh?” She had to ask it, she needed to know the answer. “Why can’t I just like him and why can’t he just like me back?”

“Because nothing is ever simple with you,” Lucas offered with a tiny smile. 

Aurora sniffled, hastily wiping the tear that threatened to leak from her eye as he continued. 

“You’re in different stages of your lives, Rory. Whether you like it or not. You’re just getting started, and Prompto’s gotta be wanting to settle down by now. I know he wants kids, he’s always talked about it, even when he used to watch us on weekends. Are you really prepared to give him that sort of life when you’re just experiencing freedom for the first time?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but when no words came out, she closed it again. Aurora had also always known of Prompto’s not-so-secret desire to be a father—he’d tried the relationship thing in the past, and it hadn’t worked. His heart had been broken so many times before, she’d seen it first hand when Prompto came wandering to her parents’ house to talk to Ignis in his study, needing nothing more than to vent his frustrations.

Was she prepared to be another heartbreak, another scar slashed across his heart? Or was she going to give up everything she loved, the carefree life she’d grown to embrace as she blossomed into a woman in order to give someone else a future that she wasn’t sure she even wanted?

And therein lied the question. It was unanswered, and it echoed in her mind. What did she want?

_Him._

Undeniably, irrefutably, she wanted Prompto.

But when she spoke, her nerves got the best of her. She went quiet, staring down at her hands as she let a tear fall from her eye. 

“I don’t know.”

Lucas helped her unpack for a little while longer and helped her set up her bed. Her books lined the shelves in the living room, and her entertainment unit was mostly set up. The kitchen had been completely unpacked by the time Lucas had to leave, and she hugged her brother as she bid him goodbye, promising to see him that weekend at their parents’ house.

Aurora lied in bed, staring at the ceiling, her phone gripped in her hands. She kept asking herself over and over what she wanted, and the answer was always the same. She wanted to wake up in the morning and look over to see those clear blue eyes, the light dusting of freckles that mapped constellations on his skin. She wanted his mouth over hers, his body heat, his laugh, his smile—she wanted all of him. Fuck, she _needed_ all of him. 

The pull was back. That inexplicable feeling that drew her to him, the steady increase in her heart rate whenever she imagined him in her mind’s eye. She slid on her running shoes and sprinted out of her apartment.

Prompto shuffled to the door at the sound of a fist pounding against the wood. It was late, the moon shining down on the Crown City. Prompto had been getting ready for bed when he heard the furious knocking, and based on how impatiently the banging increased, he figured out who it was.

The door swung open and Aurora stepped inside. She was wearing a black tank top with no bra, and a pair of loose jogging shorts that barely covered her rear. Prompto suspected she’d been in bed as well and literally just threw on a pair of shoes and came straight over. 

Aurora slammed the door behind her and grabbed Prompto’s face, dragging him in for a kiss. He let out a bit of a stuttered moan as she backed him against the wall, the metal of her tongue piercing sliding past his lips. His hands came to latch onto her waist, pulling her in close as she kissed him for all he was worth.

Aurora almost felt dizzy as her lips captured his. She needed to be in control. He lips trailed down his neck, down to his collarbone, and then she was on her knees. She slid her hand into Prompto’s pyjama pants and pulled out his cock, tugging and kissing it until it started to grow hard in her palm.

“Aurora, what—”

She didn’t give him a chance to ask his question as she closed her lips around his tip. The metal of her tongue dragged along the underside of his length as she teased him before taking him deep, using her mouth and her closed fist to tug him towards the edge.

Prompto’s breaths were coming in hard pants. This beautiful girl had barged into his house, kissed him breathless, and was now on her knees in front of him, sucking him off in the middle of the hallway. Aurora looked up at him through her eyelashes, watching him fall apart. His fingers slid against her scalp, moving her hair out of her face so that he could watch his cock disappear past her lips and down her throat.

It didn’t take long for him to come. Aurora’s tongue was deft and clever, working him just right as his thighs started to tremble.

“Aurora,” Prompto gasped, tugging on her hair so hard that it stung. “I’m gonna—”

Aurora hollowed out her cheeks and sucked hard, and then he was groaning out her name, filling her mouth with warmth. She swallowed it all, lapping at his sensitive head as it twitched away from her touch. She tucked him back into his pants before standing up and burying her face in his chest.

It took Prompto a second to come out of his post-orgasmic daze before he realized that she was crying.

“Hey,” he ran his hands down her arms before settling them on her shoulders, leaning her back so he could see her face. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Aurora didn’t respond, just went back to clutching him as tight as she could. Her tears soaked through the fabric of his night shirt, and he silently lifted her up in his arms, bringing her over to the couch.

Prompto held her against his chest in his lap, quietly rocking her back and forth.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Aurora shook her head. Prompto tilted her chin up to give her a kiss. It was slow and passionate, and absolutely perfect. It said everything that he wasn’t sure he could say out loud—that everything was going to be alright, that she didn’t have to worry about anything again now that he was by her side. It said that he cared for her in ways he didn’t quite understand yet, in a way that was totally new and something he’d never really experienced before. In a way that he felt in his heart to be true, but didn’t dare let leave the tip of his tongue.

Aurora hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and nestled her face in the crook of Prompto’s neck. He just held her there, the two of them existing in the peaceful quiet, trying their hardest not think about why their lives were so much more complicated in the light of day.

Prompto ran his hand up and down her right thigh gently, his eyes drifting shut as Aurora’s breathing started to even out. He kept the motion going for as long as he could, his comforting touch lulling her to sleep as he felt himself slipping into the realm of dreams alongside her.

He let himself relax into the cushions as Aurora pressed a faint kiss to the base of this throat. He barely noticed the tiniest of sparks against the pads of his fingers as they skimmed along the marking in the shape of a crow’s foot, nestled between the leaves of the roses tattooed on the curve of Aurora’s thigh.


	5. Chapter 4

Aurora woke up the next morning to the sound of light snores. She cracked her eyes open and went to sit up when she realized she was already upright and being held down by a pair of lean arms. She wiped the sleep from her eyes, realizing that she was in Prompto’s living room, on his couch, in his lap.

She watched as he slept, his head tilted back and his mouth open slightly, emitting soft snores with every inhale. He looked so peaceful, his face relaxed, as his grip on her waist tightened subconsciously.

Aurora bit her lip and suppressed a giggle as she settled back in, pressing small, fluttering kisses along his neck and jawline until he jerked awake.

“Hm? Wha?” It took Prompto a second to register where he was before his eyes settled on the beautiful girl in his lap. One who was gently pressing against his morning wood. His face blanched before going bright red. “Oh, uh, g’morning.”

“Good morning,” Aurora yawned before leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. “Sorry I came over last night unannounced. I didn't mean to stay the night again.” She tried to get up, but Prompto tugged her back down.

“Don’t apologize for that, I love having you here,” he shrugged. He then realized his choice of words, back-pedalling as quickly as be could. “I, uh, I mean, I like your company, is all. It’s nice to have someone over here other than me, because, uh, it gets quiet, and—”

Aurora put her hands on either side of Prompto’s face and planted a kiss on his lips to stop his babbling. “You’re cute when you’re flustered,” she smiled, and his face became even redder.

His grin went wide. “You’re cute all the time.”

Aurora rolled her eyes and kissed him again before rising to her feet. “As much as I’d like to stay, I have to go back home.”

Prompto couldn’t help but pout, instantly making him look ten years younger. “How come?”

Aurora slipped her shoes back on and stretched, her tank top riding up her midriff as Prompto eyed the exposed skin of her stomach. “I have to shower and finish unpacking. Lucas and I got a lot done yesterday, but there’s still more to go. I want to get as much done as I can before going over to see my parents this weekend.” 

She seemed to hesitate, playing with her thumbs before she glanced over at Prompto.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Prompto’s eyebrows flew up to his forehead. “Uh, I don’t know,” he stammered, his morning wood subsiding rapidly. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea.”

Aurora rolled her eyes. “I’m not asking you to come to my parents’ house and announce to them that we’re sleeping together. Besides, my dad always talks about wanting to have you and Gladio over. He hasn’t seen you in a while, and I know he misses you.” She paused, amending her words. “Well, I say ‘seen’ pretty liberally. But you know what I mean.”

Prompto snorted. “Okay, fine. I might as well drive you over. Maybe Raine’ll make those awesome cookies and I can steal some to bring back here.”

“Probably. She always makes them when Lucas and I come to visit,” Aurora stated as she made her way to the door. Prompto rose to his feet, running after her as her fingers wrapped around the doorknob.

“Wait!”

She turned, an eyebrow cocked, that sly smile on her face yet again. It made Prompto’s heart flutter.

“I, um…” His eyes searched hers for a second, unsure of what he wanted to say. Finally, he asked, “Do you want to come back tonight? Maybe for dinner? I just…” He paused again, his voice sheepish and small. “I just like having you here. With me.”

Aurora slid her hand behind Prompto’s neck and kissed him. “I’d love that,” she said, her smile turning shy. “But let me cook. My dad gave me a bunch of recipes that I perfected while I was away, and I think you’ll like them.”

Prompto leaned his forehead against hers. “I wouldn’t worry. I like everything you do.”

Aurora stole another kiss before scurrying back to her apartment, trying her best not to look like a maniac as she bit back the biggest grin and jogged along the sidewalk.

—

The rest of the week went by faster than Aurora would have liked. She spent nearly every day at Prompto’s house, even going so far as to bring a toothbrush so she didn’t have to go all the way back home just to freshen up in the morning.

When they were together, they fell into step with one another with so much ease that it almost felt frightening. It was all so natural, so unhurried as they moved throughout their day side by side, stealing kisses or pouncing on one another until they were a tangled, naked mess on whatever flat surface was closest by.

The day finally came where Aurora was going to head back home to see her parents. She’d called her mother and told her that Prompto wanted to join, and she was met with no objection from Raine or Ignis on that front. Prompto was still nervous though, unable to keep his fingers from tapping against the steering wheel anxiously as they made their way south past the Citadel.

Aurora reached a hand over and slid it onto his thigh. “It’s okay. There’s no need to be jumpy. You don’t have to tell them what’s going on between us, you know. Just be yourself.”

Prompto laughed shakily, his grip on the steering wheel tightnening. “Heh, yeah, myself. That’ll go over well. Oh, gods, we’re doomed.”

Aurora couldn’t help but giggle as they pulled into the driveway. She took Prompto’s hand and lifted it to her lips. “You’ll be fine. Come on, I’m sure they’re excited to see you again.”

Lucas was already there when they walked into the house. Raine ran over to the doorway and wrapped her daughter in a tight hug.

“It’s been so long,” she sighed, burying her face in Aurora’s hair. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, Mom,” Aurora felt tears pricking her eyes as she returned her mother’s embrace. “Where’s Daddy?”

“In the kitchen with Lucas,” she gestured. Aurora went off in search of her father as Raine greeted Prompto, ruffling his hair out of habit as he started to squawk in protest.

Aurora’s face lit up at the sight of Ignis leaning against the kitchen counter. “Daddy!”

“Ah, there you are, darling,” Ignis beamed as Aurora practically tackled him. “It’s good to have the whole family back together again. Where’s Prompto? Still being accosted by your mother?”

“I was not accosting him,” Raine retorted, tossing her braid over her shoulder. Her hair was as long and as beautiful as ever, the blue from her youth long gone. Instead, she left it as its natural colour, dark, the same as Aurora’s, with strands of grey interwoven as it fell nearly to her lower back. 

Aurora had always admired her mother’s radiance. People always said they looked alike, and Aurora wasn’t blind to their resemblance. But her mother had been a fighter, a warrior in her youth and during the Starscourge, having to struggle and earn everything she had. It made Raine’s eyes burn with a fire that couldn’t be dimmed, her ferocity unmatched and unwavering.

Aurora’s life had been easy by comparison—she was only six when the sun rose again, and her memory of what life was like back then was fuzzy. Lucas remembered it a lot more vividly than she did, and he often told her about the time that Ignis left to rejoin the King during his final battle, leaving Raine alone with two children, unsure if he was ever coming back.

It felt so long ago, all that bloodshed and chaos. Aurora looked around her parents’ house, the one where she’d spent her adolescence, and reminded herself how lucky she was to be living back in Insomnia after everything that had happened.

“She was definitely accosting me,” Prompto’s voice drifted into her ears as he entered the kitchen, trying in vain to readjust his hair. He shot Raine a fake glare as he huffed. “You know how long it takes to get my hair just right.”

Raine ruffled his hair again, and Prompto let out another undignified yelp. “Sure do, Choco-butt.”

“Your wife is a bully!” the blond whined, turning to Ignis for sympathy or support. Instead, Ignis just chuckled.

“It’s been too long, Prompto.”

Aurora went over to her brother and gave him a quick hug as they started to chat idly about his wedding preparations. Meanwhile, Ignis, Raine and Prompto began retelling stories of the past, recounting their adventures together in their youth.

“Your hair was so blue back then!” Prompto recalled as Raine toyed with the end of her braid. But I like your natural colour on you, too.”

Raine smiled, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. “Thanks, Prom. I can’t pull off the colour like I used to anymore, now that I’m older. Just looks like I’m trying too hard.”

“My love, you are stunning, regardless of your hair colour or age,” Ignis piped up, moving beside her to press a kiss to her cheek. “And, might I add, age has done nothing to quell your stamina.”

“Okay, okay,” Lucas interrupted, his face growing hot. “Did not need to know about that.”

“We’re all adults here, Lucas,” Ignis tutted, shooting a smirk in his son’s direction. “Was I supposed to tell you once more that we still enjoy ‘playing’? You’re not exactly a toddler anymore.”

“Yeah,” Lucas grumbled in agreement. “And I knew what you meant back then, too.”

Aurora leaned against the counter of the kitchen island, laughing into her hand. The kettle on the stove started to whistle, the sound piercing through the air. Prompto, who was standing closest to it, called out, “I’ll get it!”

Prompto had always been clumsy though, and stumbled slightly as he went to reach for it. His fingers touched the hot steel of the kettle instead of the handle, and he let out a hiss as it burned the tips of his fingers.

From six feet away, Aurora mumbled out a curse, shaking her hand as if it had been touched by fire.

Raine’s eyes snapped over to her daughter’s. Aurora met her eyes, shrinking at the intensity of her gaze. Raine then turned her head to bore into Prompto’s soul before turning back to Aurora. Lucas watched it all in silent fear and gulped as realization dawned on Raine’s face.

“Oh, fuck _no.”_

“Mom—”

Raine moved fast, backing Prompto up against the counter as he gulped and tried to evade her to no avail.

“Prompto, you have got some fucking explaining to do, because if this is what I think it is—”

“Mom! Stop it!” Aurora wedged herself between Raine and Prompto, holding her hands up defensively. “What are you even doing? Calm down!”

Raine ignored her, her eyes glaring over Aurora’s head to burn holes into Prompto’s. “Did you have sex with my daughter?”

Prompto started to stutter out an answer, but Aurora spoke first, her voice raised. “Leave him alone! I don’t even know how you figured that out, but that is none of your business!”

“I’m sorry, Aurora, but when I find out that someone who I have known for over twenty years is fucking my daughter, I think it’s my business,” she seethed. Lucas remained frozen next to his father, watching with his heart racing in his ears as Raine glowered at Prompto. “Did you take advantage of her?”

“He did not!” Aurora was all but stomping her foot. “I’m not a child anymore, Mom! You can’t just pry into my life like you did when I was a teenager, I’m capable of making my own decisions!”

Raine was seeing nothing but red. “So you were the one that initiated this whole thing between the two of you?” She scoffed. “So what is this, then? Are you trying to prove something, or—”

Aurora exploded. “I fucking love him, okay?!”

Prompto felt his heart stop in that moment. Raine took a single step back, her jaw slack as her shoulders dropped. She started to shake her head, something akin to a sarcastic laugh emitting from her throat. “You don’t know what love is, Aurora.”

Aurora stared at her mother, her voice going quiet. “How could you say that to me?”

“Because you’re still a child!” Raine exclaimed. “I know that you think you’re grown, but you’re only twenty-one, and—”

“You were only twenty-two when you and Daddy got together! You barely even knew each other and I’ve known Prompto my entire life!” Aurora protested, cutting her off as her voice raised in volume. “And I’m not stupid. I know how I feel, and I’m a lot smarter than you give me credit for. Yeah, Prompto and I had sex, and yeah, this is all happening really fast, but I love him. I know that I do. I don’t get why you can’t just accept that?”

Raine pinched the bridge of her nose, furiously shaking her head. “It’s not that simple, Aurora.”

Aurora clenched her fists, her vision going blurry as tears welled up in her eyes. “Why not?”

Raine sighed, trying to calm herself down. “Sweetheart, you know that I don’t think you’re stupid. But I also know what it’s like to want to be with an older man because you think it’s exciting, or because it’s a challenge. Before I met your father, I was just like you. And I don’t want you to make the same mistakes that I did.”

Aurora couldn’t stop herself from saying it. She was suddenly furious, the rage bubbling deep within her gut until it spilled forth, spewing words that were poison, targeted at her mother.

“How dare you say that what I’m doing with _my_ life is a mistake! I’m not _you,_ Mom. How can you even call what’s going on between me and Prompto a mistake when you had Clara when you were _fifteen?”_

“That’s enough, Aurora,” Ignis finally spoke up, his voice stern as Raine let out a trembling breath. She shook her head and turned on her heel before swiftly leaving the room, not wanting Aurora to see the tears that had started to tumble down her cheeks. The sounds of footsteps on the stairs and the bedroom door slamming echoed throughout the house.

Aurora let out the tiniest of sobs before digging the heels of her palms against her eyes and hurrying out the front door. Lucas followed after her. Prompto turned to go as well when Ignis’ voice stopped him.

“May I have a word, Prompto?”

He gulped, turning to face his long time friend. “Yeah. I guess so.”

—

Prompto had been inside of Ignis’ study many times. He’d always been a frequent guest of the Scientia household before he bought his own place after everyone moved back to Insomnia, but he couldn’t help but wipe away the bead of sweat that had gathered on his forehead as he passed the threshold and heard the door close behind him.

“Please, have a seat.”

Prompto obliged, rigidly sitting down on the couch as Ignis sat himself down on his leather armchair. An awkward silence settled between the two as Ignis locked his fingers together on his lap, his legs crossed, his expression unmoving. Prompto couldn’t help but nervously tap his foot on the ground, desperately wishing he could be anywhere in the world aside from inside that room.

“Look, Ignis—”

“How long have you been intimate with my daughter?” Ignis asked calmly, and Prompto could see his unscarred eye peering at him through his darkened lenses.

Prompto fiddled with the hem of his shirt. “About a week.”

Ignis nodded. “I assume it was her who initiated the affair?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Prompto nervously scratched at the back of his head. “Not like I stopped it from happening. She’s not the only one guilty in this, Specs. I could have ended it, could’ve nipped it in the bud. But…I was selfish. I wasn’t thinking.”

Ignis’ lips eased into a smile. “It’s quite alright,” he said, almost jovially, and Prompto couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at his friend’s reaction. “I can hardly blame you. The two of you are soulmates, after all.”

Prompto wasn’t sure if he’d heard Ignis correctly. His mind was spiralling, and for a second he was sure the walls were closing in all around him. His throat felt dry. He finally managed to croak out, _“What?”_

“Do you recall, about four years into the Starscourge, that marking that appeared on your left thigh that you assumed was a burn from a Red Giant?” Ignis inquired. “You were born and bred to be an MT, and therefore had never been granted a soulmate marking, due to your intended purpose. But you were given life, given a chance to grow, to become more than your destiny. And so the Astrals deemed you worthy.”

Prompto’s mind slowly started to connect the dots “Four years into…so when Aurora was born—”

“I recall you describing the marking to me while we were at Hunter HQ a short while after it had appeared,” Ignis stated. “When Aurora was born, Raine informed me that she had a soulmate marking of her own in the shape of a crow’s foot on the side of her right thigh. She was always self-conscious of it, especially as a teenager, and so she had roses tattooed around it to make it seem less obvious.”

Of course. That's why he hadn’t noticed it before—his marking wasn’t enormous, and the tattoo on Aurora’s thigh was large enough that a detail that small got lost amongst the artwork.

Prompto was trying to find his words amongst the chaos of his thoughts. Aurora was his soulmate. It explained the pull between them, the insuppressible desire to be with her always, the racing of his heart whenever she was nearby. It explained why she invaded his thoughts every waking minute ever since their first night together, why his heart and soul knew that he loved her before his mind could accept it. 

It also explained how Raine realized what had happened between them right away—when Prompto burned his hand, Aurora had felt it. She could feel his pain, just as Raine could feel Ignis’. They were tied, two souls united as one, intrinsically linked until the end of time.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Ignis crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at his friend. “I don’t mean to offend, Prompto, but wouldn't you, as a father, be apprehensive if your youngest child and only daughter’s soulmate was not only a man more than twice her senior, but also one of your closest friends? I knew that this day would come, I just hadn’t expected it to be so soon.”

Prompto could accept that, he supposed. “You never told Raine?”

Ignis shook his head. “I knew that if she were to find out while Aurora was still a child, she might have tried to distance the two of you out of maternal worry. You must understand, Prompto, that Raine is very protective over Aurora, especially after Clara’s passing. She respects you, and she loves you like a brother. But I was afraid that by telling her prematurely, Raine would act differently around you. And since you had done nothing wrong, it did not seem fair.”

Prompto sighed, rubbing his hands against his face. “Well, she hates me now, so it’s a little too late for that.”

“I don’t,” a gentle voice came from the doorway. Raine stood there, tugging at the end of her braid, her eyes red from crying, and the tiniest repentant smile on her face. 

Prompto immediately stood, unsure of what to say. His mouth opened and closed, cursing his inability to be articulate, and Raine raised her hand to stop him from speaking.

“I owe you an apology,” she began. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way just now. It wasn’t fair to either of you. I should know better than anyone that you don’t get a say in who your soulmate is, but you’re meant to be together for a reason. I don’t know if I can approve just yet, but…if Aurora is your soulmate, Prompto, then I’m happy for her. You’re an incredible person and I know you just want her to be happy.”

“I do,” Prompto nodded, finally able to speak.

Raine smiled, tugging on the sleeves of her cardigan. “Do you love her?”

He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t have to. “Yeah. More than anything.”

Raine took the few steps towards Prompto and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Prompto’s arms came to wrap around her as well, and he heard Raine sniffle slightly as she squeezed him a little tighter.

She pulled away, wiping her eyes as she let out a laugh. “Sorry about that. It’s just…”

“She’s your daughter,” Prompto said understandingly, placing a hand on Raine’s shoulder. “I get it.”

Prompto felt Raine set her shoulders as her eyes went from soft to indescribably intimidating. It sent a shiver down his spine. “If you ever hurt her, I will end you.”

“I wouldn’t take that threat lightly,” Ignis chirped from where he was still seated on his armchair. “And it goes doubly for me, as well.”

“Ended three times over, got it,” Prompto noted with a nervous laugh, his hands going into his pockest. “Well, I guess I’d better go see if she’s okay.”

“Lucas texted me,” Raine sighed. “He drove her back to her apartment uptown.” Prompto went to move for the door, but Raine stopped him. “Let me speak to her first, please?” she asked, so quiet that Prompto almost didn’t hear her. “I just feel like I owe her an explanation.”

Prompto gave a nod. “Okay.”


	6. Chapter 5

Aurora let her legs dangle over the arm of the couch, her back flat against the cushions as she stared at the blank white ceiling of her apartment. Maybe, she thought, if she concentrated hard enough, either the ceiling would collapse on her and end this horrible gut-wrenching feeling that had taken hold of her entire being, or the ground would cave in and swallow her whole.

She sent a small prayer up to the Six. She didn’t know which one she wanted to be granted first.

Instead, a knock came to her door. Aurora sat up and bolted to it, and couldn’t help her face from falling when her mother appeared on the other side.

“Don’t look so happy to see me,” Raine joked, standing at her doorway, wringing her wrists. She peered over Aurora’s shoulder at the empty apartment. “Can I come in?”

Aurora wanted to slam the door in her face. She wanted to scream, to tell her to go away, that she didn’t want to speak to her or see her ever again, but she couldn’t. Instead, she moved aside and allowed her mother to step past the threshold.

Raine looked around the room. “Nice place,” she noted. “Looks like you and Lucas got a lot of unpacking done when he was here.”

“Yeah,” Aurora muttered, shutting the front door and following Raine into the living room. She observed as Raine wordlessly moved through the apartment, glancing into each room, nodding to herself before turning to face her daughter. Aurora lifted her arms and let them fall down heavily at her sides. “What?”

Raine smiled slightly, fiddling with the end of her braid. “I was just thinking about how different you are now.”

Aurora held back the urge to roll her eyes. “Different, how?”

“Maybe not different,” Raine amended, stepping closer. “But you’re definitely not the same as you were before you left for Accordo. Which makes sense, I guess. Four years will do that to you. Hell, just a few months with your father completely changed me.”

Raine moved to the couch, gesturing for Aurora to sit beside her. Raine adjusted so that she was facing Aurora, and she adopted the same posture. They both kept themselves open to one another, ready for a dialogue that was desperately needed as the unsettling quiet started to seep back into the room.

Raine bit at the inside of her lip, not knowing where to start. When she spoke, her voice was so quiet, Aurora could hear the tiny waver as her breathing became uneven. She’d never heard her mother sound so vulnerable before, never heard her sound so scared. It felt like tiny needles were being pricked into the flesh of her heart, a sharpness in the back of her throat that threatened to steal her breath away.

“Do you remember when you were little and I used to braid your hair?”

Aurora was slightly taken aback. “Yeah. You used to braid it for me before school. I used to say I looked just like you.”

Raine laughed, a small one that was nostalgic but sad. “Yeah. After I lost Clara, I never thought I’d have another kid. Never thought I’d meet someone who actually loved me, forget about even finding my soulmate at all. But then I met your dad, and life wasn’t easy, but we figured it out. And then I had Lucas, and he was our little miracle.”

Aurora smiled a bit at that. “He’s alright, I guess.”

Raine nudged Aurora’s calf playfully with her foot. “When I found out I was pregnant with you, I cried. I was so scared of having another daughter. I didn’t want to raise you as if you were a replacement for Clara. But I also knew my shortcomings as a mother, as a woman navigating this fucked up world, and I didn’t want to have to put those pressures on you before you even had a chance to take your first steps. I didn’t want you to carry my baggage.”

Raine took in a shaky breath.

“But then you were born, and you were perfect. You were so tiny, three weeks premature, but you were such a fighter. You were the happiest baby, always demanding attention with your big smile and your beautiful green eyes. Green, just like your dad’s.”

A tear slipped out from her eye, so she hastily wiped it away.

“Do you remember the time when I braided your hair and asked you if you’d still love me when you were all grown up?”

Aurora paused, her brows scrunched in confusion. “Y-yeah, kind of. I was…what…six?”

Raine nodded. “I could tell ever since you were young that you were going to drift away from me. I knew it, because I was just like you. And I don’t know why I asked you that question that day. Maybe I needed to hear it to reassure myself that things would be different, or that you wouldn’t want to be different than me.”

Aurora felt her heart clench. “Mom…”

Raine held up her hand. “As you got older, I saw you grow up into a young woman, someone who was fiercely independent, vocal, stubborn, and completely unafraid of standing up for what you believed in. I’ve always been so proud of you, Rory. Even if I don’t always say it out loud, there’s never a day that goes by that I’m not just so thankful that you are my daughter.”

Raine wiped her eyes again. Aurora always hated seeing her mother cry—it didn’t happen often, but when it did, it made her feel heavy, as if a suffocating weight anchored itself on her chest. 

“I don’t want you to ever think that I don’t trust your judgment, sweetheart. I know you’re a smart girl. But you have to understand, as a mother, I’ve watched you grow up, seen all these different phases of your life…you never want to let your children go. I was a mess when you and Lucas moved away. It felt like an entire part of my life was just gone, and I felt empty. But I knew that you two were trying to make your own way in the world and trying to figure out who you were then and who you are now.”

Raine hesitated. 

“I watched Prompto grow up, too, you know.”

Aurora bit the inside of her lip at the sound of his name. It alone had the butterflies in her stomach at full attention.

“Life hasn’t been easy for him, Rory. He’s been hurt so many times. When Noctis got absorbed by the Crystal, I’ve never seen someone look more lost. He had Gladio, and he had Ignis, but at the end of the day, his best friend was trapped. And he knew that as soon as he was freed, he was going to die. There was no other way around it.”

Aurora had heard the story of Noctis being absorbed by the Crystal before, but she’d only heard the basics of what she’d been taught in school. Raine continued.

“During those ten years, he became a hunter, and he did whatever he could to help out anyone and everyone. He got his heart broken once, even though he was the one who put an end to it before it really began. He used to come over to the house all the time after that, talking to your dad for hours on end, just to get these terrible thoughts out of his head. Prompto used to tell him about how he felt like he was always unwanted, like he didn’t belong anywhere or to anyone.”

Aurora felt her heart break bit by bit. She’d always known Prompto as such a sweet, cheerful soul—what kind of darkness had he been harbouring inside him all these years? How had she not noticed?

“After that final battle, he wasn’t the same. With Noctis gone, he was so lost for such a long time. He didn’t talk to anyone for a while, just lived by himself and shut himself off from everyone until he was ready to come back to us again. And even when he came back, I don’t know if he ever really came back.”

“Mom…” Aurora managed, her voice sounding hoarse. “Why are you telling me all this?”

“Because,” she answered, “Prompto is your soulmate.”

Aurora felt her heart stop, the air vacating her lungs. She subconsciously reached for the marking on her leg, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place.

Raine offered up a sad smile. “So maybe so you’ll understand how scary this whole situation might be for him. He’s gone his whole life this far thinking he never had a soulmate in the first place, having lost the one person who was the closest to him. But even though he’s been through so much pain, he’s always put other people’s happiness before his own. And I can see it in his eyes, he wants that for you.”

Aurora gave Raine’s hand a light squeeze. “I want that for him, too.”

“I know,” Raine smiled. “You’re a good person with a good heart, Aurora. If you say that you love him, I believe you. It’s complicated for me, and it’s going to be really hard for me to accept for a while, but…that’s not how this all works and how I feel doesn’t matter. It’s about the two of you and the bond that you share, the parts of your soul that are calling to one another, just like me and your father. I know he won’t hurt you, and I know he’ll love you with all of his devotion, because that's who Prompto is. So what I guess I’m saying in so many words is that I love you, and I want you to be happy. And if your souls are tied, I’m not going to stand in your way.”

Aurora hadn’t realized she was crying until Raine lifted her hand to wipe away her tears. She leapt into her mother’s arms and clutched her tight, Raine cradling her like she did so many years ago when she was a child.

“Just so you know,” Aurora mumbled against her shoulder, “I’ve never stopped loving you, Mom.”

Raine squeezed her eyes shut and smiled, kissing the side of her daughter’s head. “I believe you, sweetheart.”

—

It was later in the evening when another knock came to Aurora’s door. Raine had left some hours ago with a hug and a kiss, muttering something under her breath about how she and Ignis needed to have a conversation about keeping decade-long secrets from his wife.

Aurora had taken the time to unpack some more of her things, her apartment finally beginning to look and feel like home. But it was late and she was tired, dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a loose fitting hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her hair tied up in a messy bun. She was almost embarrassed at her appearance when she opened the door and saw Prompto’s clear blue eyes staring back at her, but the warmth that seeped into them as his smile lit up his face made all of her self-consciousness fade away.

He was breathless. “Hey.”

Aurora couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Hi.” She moved aside to let him in, quietly closing the door behind him as he kept his eyes on her. Aurora rubbed at her forearms, not really sure what to say. He was finally in her apartment, in her personal space, those three words she’d shouted in anger earlier that day suddenly at the forefront of her mind. 

“So I—”

“I just—”

Aurora blushed, looking down at her feet. “I’m sorry. You go ahead.”

She heard Prompto chuckle, and his finger came to tilt her chin up so that she was looking into his eyes. “I was just gonna say that I had a talk with Igni—your dad,” he corrected, moving his hand to cup the side of her face. “He told me that you…that we…”

“That we’re soulmates,” she finished, placing her hand atop his. “Yeah. My mom came by and explained everything to me.”

Prompto leaned his forehead against hers and let out a shaky breath. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for you,” he admitted, and she could hear the desperation in his voice. “And you were right in front of me all along.”

Aurora rose to the tips of her toes and kissed him, and it felt like the first time all over again. The way he leaned into her, how his free hand fanned across her back to press her close, it was heaven. She placed a hand over his racing heart, knowing he could feel hers too, beating in synchronized rhythm as the rest of the world fell away.

She pulled away briefly, just enough that her lips moved against his as she spoke.

“I love you.”

She felt him smiling, heard him repeat the words back to her, sensed the fulness of her heart as he leaned in to kiss her again.

Aurora walked him backwards past the front entrance into her living room, her hands tugging at his clothes, needing to feel his skin pressed against hers. He kissed her breathless as they left a trail of fabric along the floor until they reached her bedroom, tumbling down together in a tangle of limbs.

When Prompto slid inside of her again, it was bliss. Aurora understood what it meant, that inexplicable pull, how she was drawn to him in a way that she could never verbalize before. It was the merging of two souls, the intertwining of destinies, the forging of hot metal as he poured himself into her.

Aurora kept her eyes on him as he moved, as her legs wrapped around him and pulled him closer. She watched in admiration at the way his muscles rippled under his skin, the half-lidded desperation in his eyes as he brought her to the brink. She tensed and fluttered, starlight and constellations bursting forth in her vision, leaving a map along the freckles across his face. 

He whispered her name into her ear, a love confession on its own, so quiet and so tender that she barely heard it. But it was there, a tiny sigh, a single promise. He was hers, and she was his, and nothing else in that moment mattered.

They fell asleep together, wrapped up in each other’s arms, each of them deciding that they would never let the other go.

—

The sun hit Aurora’s eyelids and she groaned into her pillow. Her body was sore in all the most perfect places, but she didn’t want to open her eyes, didn’t want to forget the feeling of Prompto’s mouth on her skin, or his fingers pressing into her hips.

But she did notice something as she reached over across her bed. The sheets were cold.

Aurora sat up suddenly, her hair flying wildly in her face. She smoothed it down and pulled it back into a bun before getting out of bed and tossing on a shirt and a pair of shorts from her dresser.

When she exited her bedroom, she couldn't help but bite back a smile at the sight in front of her. Prompto was shirtless, in just his boxers, making Ebony and trying to navigate the kitchen, looking quite helpless.

“Hey,” Aurora came over and hugged him from behind, kissing him on the cheek as he jumped slightly in surprise.

“Good morning,” he turned to her fully and kissed her on the lips. “I didn’t hear you waking up.”

Aurora eyed the slight mess that Prompto had made. She raised an eyebrow at him. “What are you up to?”

He smiled sheepishly and scratched at the back of his head. “Well, I figured since you’re always making breakfast for me whenever you stay at my place, so it would only be fair if I made something for you.” He placed a hand on his hip and stared at the burnt food he’d attempted to make and sighed. “Do you like toast?”

Aurora laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. She kissed the skin there and grinned up at him. “Toast is perfect.”

After breakfast, coffee, and a quick shower together with a lot of gentle touches from wandering hands, Aurora found herself on the couch with her head resting on Prompto’s lap, his fingers idly playing with her hair.

“You know,” he said, breaking their comfortable silence. “I feel like I need to know more about you.”

Aurora looked up at him. “What do you mean.”

“You know,” he waved an arm around, gesturing to her apartment. “Your hobbies. Interests. Likes and dislikes. Stories from Accordo. I want to know everything about you.”

Aurora giggled and sat up. “Okay.” She pulled him to his feet and brought him over to a shelf that Lucas had helped her unpack earlier that week, full of books, framed photos and random knick-knacks.

She told him of her favourite books, ones she’d discovered while studying abroad, flipping through textbooks that she’d kept from some of her favourite classes. She showed him a framed photo of her with her two best childhood friends, Violet and Daisy, and told Prompto about their late night video calls and texts. 

Aurora showed him a framed photo of Clara, and told him how she wished she could have known her big sister, that she used to be able to sense her presence when she was a child. Prompto listened with rapt attention, his arms coming to wrap around her from behind. He’d nod and ask her follow up questions, pointing to certain things as they moved from shelf to shelf, turning every so often to press a kiss to her cheek, her neck, or her shoulder.

When Aurora got tired of talking, she paused. Her hands came over top of Prompto’s, rubbing small circles against his wrists.

“So what are we going to do now?”

Prompto rested his cheek against her head. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” Aurora admitted, letting out a quiet sigh. “I just…are we going to keep going on like this, living separate lives and then seeing each other a few times a week? Are we going to rush into this because we know we were meant to be together, or are we going to go slow and figure this whole thing out?” She turned her head to glance up at him. “What do you want to do?”

Prompto looked into her sea foam eyes, and saw that they were wracked with confusion. There was a deep love in there as well, he could feel it in the beating of his own heart, but the logistical part of their relationship was still something that needed to be addressed. Did he want her to move in with him when she’d just finally made a home for herself here? Did he want her to marry him, to start a family? 

Prompto had no idea.

But instead of feeding into that panic, he simply said, “Dance with me.”

Aurora pulled out of his grip and turned to face him, a playful smile on her face. “What?”

“Come on,” Prompto tugged on her hand, leading her to the clearing in the centre of her living room. “What, are you embarrassed?” He teased, taking one hand in his and placing the other on her waist.

“We don’t have any music,” Aurora stated, though her free hand went to slide to the back of his neck.

Prompto leaned his forehead against hers. “We don’t need any.”

They swayed together, in the gentle quiet, Prompto humming every now and then as Aurora’s eyes slipped shut. She breathed in his scent, seeking his comfort, knowing that regardless of what was to come, he would be there for her.

She lifted her face and kissed his jaw before stepping her feet on top of his, so that she moved along with every step he took. Prompto laughed as she giggled into his shoulder, his hand on her waist pressing her closer to hold her against him, to keep her safe.

And as Aurora tilted her face to his, he met her in a kiss that made her heart skip a beat. It was a kiss that told her that everything would be alright, that regardless of what was to come when the sun rose the next day, at the very least, it rose at all. And they would start their lives together, figuring it out bit by bit, knowing that they finally had each other to lean on.

And so for now, they danced in the silence of her living room, free, without a care in the world.


End file.
